How I Spend Money

Dawn at Frugal for Life is keeping track of 25 ways people save money. I was going to participate, but then I got a few into my list and thought I'm probably not offering up ideas others have not heard. I understand the point of the exercise is to help others find ways they can trim the excess off their spending and shuffle the money into retirement, emergency fund or paying down debt, but all this saving leaves me more curious as to how people (mostly of blogs I do not regularly read) are spending their money!

In the interest of first time readers of this blog, it might be more informative to say I use the library for books and movies instead of buying books or going and renting movies. I opt out of cable television, a land line telephone and magazine subscriptions in lieu of salon haircuts. I pack my lunch and eat all meals in except one or two nights so I can socialize with my friends over cheap dinners. I buy used, refinish, and take trashed furniture so that I can splash out on a nice desk. I sell craft supplies I no longer use so I can buy new stuff. I do not clip food coupons, but I buy store-brand. Even though you can search Google for udandi + Target and find a gaggle of entries, it is often about the the dollar spot or end-cap, ends in 4 clearance deals.

The spending (and skipping) goes on in a way that I am completely comfortable - I am not missing out on life nor spending my way into a dark hole. Life is good!